The Reality of Eternity

by Terry Manuel

Growing up, my mom drugged me in and out of churches.
I was baptized at 19 years old, but lived a life for myself.

Last Sunday, I rededicated my heart and soul to Jesus Christ at 71 years old. 

My life changed in the blink of an eye on January 15, 2021. 
I woke up and told my wife to call an ambulance. 
For months after that, I don’t remember anything. 

There are records of medications and procedures. There are pictures of me in a hospital bed with tubes and a vent. There are scars from surgeries and IV lines. There is also one life-changing moment with God. 

We found that I had MRSA in my heart and lungs and after nearly three months of fighting, I crashed. 

The next thing I know, I was standing in front of a solid, black wall. I wasn’t standing on the ground or a platform, but I was upright and darkness surrounded me. Darkness stretched endlessly left, right, up, and down, but I wasn’t afraid. I knew that I didn’t want to enter the darkness, but I wasn’t scared. I just stood there. 

Then, I heard nurses yelling for me to stay with them.
Stay with us! Stay with us.

As I recovered, the word acceptance came to me for several days. 

If I wasn’t in conversation or watching TV, I was hearing acceptance.

At 19 years old, I was baptized and accepted Jesus Christ.
I accepted that His blood was shed and cleansed us.
I accepted that He was placed in a tomb and rose to life.
I accepted that He now sits next to God preparing a place for us. 

I called Jimmy LeBeouf in the first few weeks of April 2021 to tell him about my dream. 
We talked again at a later time and he told me to contact Dru Crochet about my dream.

Dru and I had worked at the Sheriff’s Office together but were in different departments and our paths rarely crossed, until the Lord united us. 

During our conversation, Dru described a dream he had while also in the hospital.I’ll let him tell his story, but his dream was unbelievable.

He also had a dream in front of a wall of darkness. He said that he was standing in front of pure black, scared and afraid of being hurt. He said that in his fear a man came to him and asked if he wanted to be saved. He said that the man wasn’t angry, but seemed disappointed in his answer. The man asked once more if Dru wanted to be saved, and he decided to accept his offer. 

Jesus saved Dru’s eternal life that day. 
Dru accepted that Jesus was his Savior.

This dream of mine didn’t stop there.
The Lord continued to work in me and through me.

After someone backed into my truck, I had to go to the shop. As I was leaving the shop, an older woman sitting on the porch said, God bless you. Something in me told her to tell her my story, so I did. I told her how my friend and I both had similar dreams, but our reactions were different. I told her that I just stood there, while Dru was standing in fear. 

Her response opened my eyes. 
She said, The reason why you weren’t scared is because He brought you there. 
Hell is real. He wanted to show you that. He wants you to know that. 

Like Romans 8:31 says, If God be for us, who can be against us? 

She continued, The reason why your friend was scared was because He didn’t have a personal relationship at that time. You had faith, so you didn’t feel the fear of what was in front of you.

She left me with: “When you wake up everyday, I want you to say Jesus, what can I do for you today?”

Fast forward to May 19, 2022.
I had a heart attack. I flatlined again.
Doctors pulled a gallon of blood from my lungs and they brought me back. 

Once I was released, doctors found out that I had endocarditis, a form of MRSA, in my heart. I got a call from the infectious disease doctor and he told me to get to the hospital right then. 

I checked in on a Monday evening, then had tests Tuesday and Wednesday. On Wednesday evening, the doctors told me I had a hard decision to make…I needed a high-risk surgery to replace my heart valve. Because this would be the second major surgery, it greatly increased the risks. 

I asked for time to make a decision, then called my pastor. I told him the situation I was facing and his immediate response was, Terry, let’s do a healing prayer.

On Thursday, my pastor prayed for healing over me. 
He declared the name and blood of Jesus over me.
On Friday morning, I was released after two clear scans.
No surgery, just healing through the power of Jesus.

Last Sunday, I was baptized to show my friends and family that once again I accept Jesus.
I recognize and accept the power in His name.
I recognize and accept the reality of hell. 
I recognize and accept his saving grace.

Acceptance is the greatest word in the world. 
I accept that Jesus died on the cross.
I accept that He rose from the tomb. 

Without acceptance, I would still be a lost soul. 
Without acceptance, I would be facing hell.

With acceptance, I get to look forward to the day that I go home to my Father. 
The day that I get to rest in the heavenly place that He has prepared for you and me. 

I have faced the reality of death.
I have flatlined five times in two years. 
I know what the edge of death looks like. 
It’s much sweeter when you know Jesus is waiting on you to come home. 

I have spent 71 years on this earth and I know what it has to offer. 
Death. Cancer. Murder. Drugs. Hell. 

I don’t want that. 
I want to accept an eternal life better than that.
I want everyone to accept it. 

Now more than ever, I feel an urgency to tell my kids and grandkids about Jesus Christ. 
The Savior who died and rose again to save us from an eternal life without Him.

We can’t lose sight of the reality in front of us: lost souls do not go to heaven. 
It’s our duty to tell our kids, grandkids, neighbors, and friends about Jesus Christ. 
The man who came to seek and save you and me. 
The man I accept as my Lord and Savior.